“The secret in education lies in respecting the student”-Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Many schools leave students feeling powerless. Educators believe that students are too young to make decisions for themselves. This view leaves students powerless and educators in control of every aspect of their education. If students were given more power, they would be more excited to learn, behave more appropriately,  and be more eager to secure their futures.

In particular, empowered students will be more excited to learn. If a student is forced to do something, they will not approach the task with any enthusiasm.¨In a world too full of information, interests usefully narrow our choices: they lead us to pay attention to this and not to that¨. (Koed News) Quotes such as this demonstrate that we have already come to the understanding that our interests determine our success. If classrooms were better tailored to individual interests, students would be more willing to complete assignments and participate. “When we’re interested in what we’re learning, we pay closer attention; we process the information more efficiently; we employ more effective learning strategies, such as engaging in critical thinking.” (Koed News). This quote comes from one article to this effect, titled “How the power of interest drives learning”. The piece explains that interested students engage more wholeheartedly, giving rise to improvements in general.

Additionally, empowering students will improve their behavior. The aggressive responses students exhibit towards injustices should be familiar, as in many ways they’re similar to labor strikes. Refusing to act in the workplace is much like refusing to work in school, and many students do so for alike reasons. However, it is unrealistic to expect students to organize a strike against their school. Robbed of the ability to make meaningful decisions, the frustration students experience results in misbehavior.  ¨Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports acknowledges that there is always a reason behind most difficult behavior and that students with difficult behavior should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion¨. ¨Democratic Classrooms¨. This quote explains that students who misbehave  shouldn’t be disregarded as simply uninterested, but rather the victims of oppression. Simply instructing them to get over their objections will not be enough.   “based on an understanding that teachers don't control students, but instead seek to support them in their own behavior change process.” This quote, from an article titled “Democratic Classrooms”, explains that a democratic classroom can multiply the amount of power children have over their educations. While the teachers maintain a close watch to ensure the education is of high quality, the students control the general direction. Such control shifts education towards an equitable structure and away from the pre-existing educational hierarchy.

Furthermore, empowering students will motivate them to secure their futures. A key part of the educational process is the selection of classes. Students should be given the power to pick subjects that will help them pursue their dreams later on. A quote from an article, “How can students have more say in school decisions?” is relevant here. “Students want to achieve in school. They want to find purpose being in school.” It should be understood from this quote that students are not attempting to sabotage themselves. It is natural to desire the best for oneself; students are certainly no different. “They want to discover their talents. Without students having a voice, we cannot collectively ensure that this will all happen for every student.”. Further evidence should be drawn from this quote to support the view that students know what’s best for themselves. It is common sense to leave decision making to the best informed, and none know student’s interests better than students.

In conclusion, students should have more power over school. This change in classrooms will spark student’s interests and boost their motivation; resulting in better classwork, behavior and future progress. The end result democratic classrooms requires collective action. In classrooms, strive to empower students to decide on the course of their own educations. Whether that be the choice of discussion topics or the selection of classes, every additional option brings education closer to each student’s individual needs. Nothing is as demeaning as a one-size-fits-all education, and nothing will fail as badly.

Works Cited
Korbey, Holly. "How Can Students Have More Say in School Decisions?" MindShift. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2016.
"Democratic Classrooms." Democratic Classrooms | Teaching Tolerance - Diversity, Equity and Justice. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2016.
Paul, Annie Murphy. "How the Power of Interest Drives Learning." MindShift. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2016.